The Rise of ISIS: How the Syrian War Impacted ISIS

Discover how the Syrian War, and the United States’ policy decisions regarding the conflict, advanced the trajectory of ISIS in these two short videos excerpted from FRONTLINE: The Rise of ISIS. In 2011, the United States pulled its troops out of Iraq; some argue this allowed Al Qaeda-linked militant groups to increase their power. In the same year, the Syrian civil war broke out, and the group that would become ISIS spread to Syria, taking part in the Sunni rebellion against the Assad regime. This resource is part of the FRONTLINE Collection.

Mature Content Advisory Note: These videos contain footage of rebel groups holding and using guns and other weapons (no target shown). Given the topic of the videos and the content covered, the images allow students to have a more accurate portrait of the intensity and viciousness of the rebel groups and the ongoing conflict.

Teacher Support Materials for this resource, including Teaching Tips, a Student Handout, Vocabulary and Terms, and a video transcript are available for download: Teacher Support Materials Package.